Gaedeke's Green Initiatives Land Office Tenant

DALLAS–A landlord’s commitment to energy-saving green initiatives has helped it secure a new tenant. TLC Engineering for Architecture, a 345-person M/E/P and structural engineering firm that specializes in environmentally conscious work, signed a 10-year lease for 9,700 square feet of office space in Gaedeke Group’s Fitzhugh Central at 4131 N. Central Expwy.

According to TLC division director John Piazza, Gaedeke’s alignment with TLC’s goals for sustainability was a major factor in the decision to take space in the property. These goals include diverting at least 75% of demolition and construction waste and debris from landfills through recycling and reuse and having at least 30% of the materials purchased from within 500 miles of the office.

“Sustainability is interwoven in everything we do at TLC,” says Piazza. “More than 30% of our professional staff are LEED accredited, nine of our offices are carbon neutral and our design/commissioning portfolio includes 22 LEED Certified buildings and more than 100 LEED registered buildings. The Gaedeke Group was very sensitive to our desire for an environmentally responsible office space.”

Gaedeke, which is headquartered in Dallas, acquired the 12-story, 172,945-square-foot office building about 15 years ago. The Class B property was completed in 1983. According to Belinda Dabliz, Gaedeke Group’s vice president of leasing, the company has adopted green measures for construction projects and green cleaning procedures for all its buildings and considers itself to be at the forefront for retrofitting office buildings with energy-saving green initiatives.

“Over the past few years, we have replaced inefficient lighting, updated energy management systems and installed new roofing that offers better insulation,” she says in regard to Fitzhugh. In addition, she continues, the materials used in interior construction for new tenants have 30% recycled content; the carpet, paint and adhesives are low in volatile organic compounds; and the composite wood materials, such as particle board and plywood, have no added urea formaldehyde. For its own offices, TLC is installing daylight-sensitive light fixtures.

Dabliz tells GlobeSt.com that interest in green-building practices has grown substantially. “It’s certainly becoming the norm that brokers as well as tenants ask about our green initiatives,” she says. “It slowly started developing about four years ago, and now everyone’s paying close attention to energy efficiency, recycling and other environmental issues.”

The Gaedeke vice president, who represented her firm in the transaction, reports the deal brings Fitzhugh Central to 88% occupancy. The largest available contiguous space is 5,181 square feet. Asking rates are quoted at $19 to $20 a square foot. TLC was represented in the lease transaction by Josh White of the Dallas office of Jones Lang LaSalle.